Beadle's Dime Library No. 366 — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

"ae" o ¥2. = 4am P ae . v7 : - —_ ae inn ie pee a whe ~~. 28 The Telegraph Detective. ‘‘T swear I only seek her company to shield myself, to secure immunity from ar- rest,” pleaded the man, frantically. ‘*Tt matters not. Your hour has come, and your base treachery to me shall not pass un- punished.” The man was goaded to the very verge of | despair. He uttered aloud cry of reckless terror, and sprung upon the woman, knock- ing her to the floor, the revolver exploding harmlessly in her grasp. ‘Por liberty,” he gasped, as he hastened to tie door; but at that moment the glass door opened and two men confronted him, cutting oif his escape. Revere fell back, his face white as marble, his eyes wearing an expression similar to that of the hunted and captured beast of rey. ‘Willis Marvin!” he cried, ‘‘the Tele- graph Detective!” ‘* Yes, Adrian Revere. We have met at last, villain; but the tables have turned. Drop that revolver!” The outlaw had raised his weapon, but it had swept the further corner of the apart- ment with its quick range; it was not aimed at the detective. Ere he could pull the trigger, however, Arminie Royale, recovering herself, sprung before him, knocking it aside, and then pointed to a small paper near the secretary. ‘‘He meant to strike that with a bullet and destroy us all,” she cried. ‘* What is it?” asked Marvin. ‘* Dynamite!’ The villain’s teeth ground beneath his pallid lips, his hands clinched tightly. Dor- sett’s eyes fixed on his every movement, Marvin guarding the doorway. Revere knew, as he heard loud sounds in the house, that the police had cut off every avenue of escape for himself and his accomplices. He made one last, bold, defiant move. ‘*Am I to understand inat I am under ar- rest?’ he demanded of Dorsett. ** Yes.” ‘On what charge?” ‘© Murder !” ** A contemptuous smile crossed the face of Revere, as he realized that shrewdness and influence might yet overcome that charge, based on evidence scarcely tangible enough when met by a strong rebuttal; yet he shield- ed his gloved right hand in his bosom, with a quick look at Marvin. “You will find it difficult to carry out your case,” he said, with affected careless- ness. He started back as the Telegraph Detective made a quick spring to his side. ‘*No, Adrian Revere,” he said, in thrillin tones; ‘‘my father’s evidence alone wceul denounce you; but, more than that, the me- mento of your desperate deed, received in the library of the murdered man, Hiram Arnold, would convict you. Behold! the brand of guilt—the living evidence of your crime!” | He had wrested Revere’s hand from his bosom, and with one deft movement had torn the glove from its place, And as he did so, as Revere uttered a cry like the lust despairing expression of a lost soul, plainly revealed to the sight of all was the disfigured hand, purpled with the phos- phorescent paint in the banker's desk! Thus the mystery of the hand of fire was made manifest! CHAPTER XXX. THE TIGER CAGED. As a series of shots in the rear portion of the house indicated to Marvin that a collision between the men in the building and the po- lice had taken place, the Telegraph Detec- tive clasped a pair of handcuffs on the wrists of Revere so quickly that the latter did not realize what he was doing until his ‘task was accomplished. ‘‘THle shall not escape amid the excite- ment and confusion,” declared Marvin, reso- lately. The villain darted a look of hatred at his captor and rival, and the murderous gleam in his face became intensified as he heard the mocking laugh of Arminie Royale. Dorsett drew a step nearer to his friend, and whispered a single word: . ‘* Constance!” — The detective understood, and transferring the charge of his prisoner to his friend, Mar- vin hurried from the apartment. The shots had subsided now, and as he reached the rear part of the old structure he discerned the reason. Within a large room four officers had carried half a dozen men, who, covered by their revolvers, crouched sullenly by the wall. The lieutenant in charge of the men recog- nized Marvin with some surprise. ‘** You here?” he ejaculated. ‘Yes. Have you secured all the men?” ‘IT think so; and have given the signal for help. When assistance arrives I will march them to the station. Do you understand the case?”’ ‘Perfectly. These men are members of a most desperate confederation of criminals. But how came you here?” The lieutenant related the episode of the note, and Marvin hastened from his side at thought of Constance, He traversed the corridor of the place, trying this door and that, and calling the name of the maiden he sought. But his search proved unsuccessful until he reached a door which resisted his first efforts to open it. Bringing all his strength to bear he sent the whole door crashing from its hinges. There was a light in the apartment. As its gleams fell on the face of a woman stand- ing in an attitude of alarmed surprise in the middle of the apartment, the detective sprung forward, a cry of joy on his lips: “* Constance !” She tottered where she stood, an unnatural pallor coming into her face. ‘* Willis Marvin!” she cried, ‘‘has the grave given up its dead?” ‘‘The grave?” he repeated, as he caught her half-fainting form in his arms, ‘‘ Con- stance— Constance, look up! It is I—Willis Marvin—here to protect you forever.” But she had swooned in his arms, the eae smile on her pale face telling illis that her heart partook of the same _ hatred, withhold from me—my marriage-cer- wild joy which thrilled his own. He forgot Revere—his accomplices—all, save that he was once more in the presence of the woman he loved. As he conveyed her to a couch, and knelt by her side, and solicitously tried to recall her to conscious- ness, her care-worn face seemed never so beautiful to his enraptured soul. Her eyes, opening, swept his face with a startled glance; then the expression was sub- dued to an embarrassed one as she dropped her gaze, reading the ardent love his counte- nance betokened. ‘*Constance,” he cried, fervently, ‘‘we have met again—the peril of our lives past, our enemies in the power of the law.” She looked up quickly. ‘And Revere?” she asked, anxiously. ‘Will persecute us no more. He is a risoner, Come, are you strong enough to eave this place?” * Anywhere with you!” She clung to his sustaining arm, which thrilled at the contact of her confident clasp. As she realized how much the man had been to her when she thought him dead, the love- light of a lasting emotion beamed forth from the grateful, happy eyes. He led her down the stairs to the library, passing the officers on the lower landing as they removed their prisoners to the police station, and startled Adrian Revere as he ushered her into his presence. The villain cast a quick, sullen look at her beaming face, but he did not speak. Instead, he mutely obeyed Dorsett, as the latter touch- ed his shoulder and pointed to the door. Arminie Royale came forward as the door closed on the detective and his charge. Con- stance shrunk back with a cry of alarm, and clung close to Marvin for protection. Arminie laughed bitterly. ‘* You have reason to hate and fear me,” she said, ‘* but you have also reason to thank me.” Marvin nodded reassuringly to Constance. ‘*She speaks truly,” he said, in explana- tion to the inquiring glance of his compan- ion. “ If I wronged you,” continued the French- woman, ‘‘it was because I loved Adrian Re- vere. That love, changed to hate by his un- aerpeeayee and treachery, has led to my ringing about his arrest, for had I not in- es terfered, the police would have arrived too late to save you.”’ ‘‘We must leave this place,” explained Marvin. ‘‘ Will you accompany us?” ‘Yes. I must see your father. Then, unless the law claims me, too, for my asso- ciation with Adrian Revere, | must go.” ‘*'W here?” ‘*T know not. Anywhere to forget my mis- ery and the treachery of the. man | once loved.” The carriage Adrian Revere had destined to convey Constance Thorndyke away was employed to take her to Marvin’s apartments. Arminie, , silent and moody, accompanied them. When they reached the rooms of the detective they found Robert Marvin so fully recovered as to be dressed and sitting up. He welcomed Constance warmly, glanced dubiously at Arminie Royale. She came boldly to his side. ‘*T can see by your looks that you distrust me,” she said. ‘‘T can hardly help it, considering—” ‘‘Considering the way my actions look since you left me at Morris,” interrupted the Frenchwoman rapidly. ‘‘ But, all the same, but I have not betrayed your confidence; cir- cumstances compelled my movements and acts.” She had turned to leave the room. ‘* You are going?” asked the detective. “For an hour or two, yes.” He gazed at her; she burst into an impa- tient laugh. ‘*Oh, do not fear that I will run away un- til I see my false husband punished for his crimes. I will return within two hours, with | asurprise for you all.” ** A surprise?” murmured Robert Marvin. ‘Yes; then I shall claim a reward for my services.” He looked inquiringly at her. “You mean—” ‘“‘T mean,” replied the Frenchwoman, ‘the guerdon of my honor. The only evi- dence that I am an honest woman, and which Adrian Revere would, in his bitter tificate.” The door closed on her form as she spoke. She did not hear the ery of dismay as Rob- ert Marvin turned to his son and cried: “The marriage-certificate? Poor Arminie! I have lost it!” CHAPTER XXXI. A CONSUMMATION COMPLETE. Wits Marvin looked curiously at his father as he spoke the words: ‘*T have lost it.” A thoughtful expression had come over the patient’s face, and as Constance and Mar- vin regarded him silently, they could see that he was endeavoring to remember the mystery of the document alluded to. Finally the father spoke: “Tt is most singular. I had it with me when Adrian Revere cast me into the cellar of the house on Irving Place; but since then—” ‘Ts it not in your pockets now?” inquired the son. ‘‘No; I searched them mechanically when I donned my clothing an hour since; only a small amount of money and a few unim- portant papers are there.”’ “This woman seems to attach great im- portance to the certificate,” remarked Willis, ‘‘Yes; because she knows her villainous husband will delight in branding her asa nameless wife. It seems they were married in England somewhere, and the marriage- certificate lost. Arminie’s character is in the balance.” ‘‘ But she is his wife?” “Undoubtedly; indeed, I know it, for I read the certificate.”’ ‘‘ We must force Revere to do this woman justice at all hazards,” declared the detective, determinedly. ‘‘Oh, I remember now,” he added; “you say you had the certificate when thrown into the cellar?” The patient bowed affirmatively. “Then I believe I can solve the loss. When in your insane fury you felled me to the ground, you had placed a piece of paper in the powder, It must have been the mar- riage-certificate.”’ The elder Marvin started. His eyes be- tokened a gleam of quick intelligence as to the past. Eboo : Win ig “a a Eom i ; : t é . j Oy ate i] = Ee —